Articles
Low temperature and other treatments to maintain the quality of fresh-cut nopalitos
Article number
1340_23
Pages
149 – 154
Language
English
Abstract
Nopalitos, the tender green stems of the prickly pear cactus (Opuntia spp.), can be grown under conditions unfavorable for production of other nutritious green vegetables.
Nopalitos are trimmed and diced as a fresh-cut product with a short shelf-life in markets in Mexico.
This study focused on the benefits of low storage temperatures and some post-cutting treatments to maintain quality of the fresh-cut product.
Nopalitos (20 cm long) were obtained from Milpa Alta CDMX, cooled, and processed at 7.5°C by rinsing in 200 ppm NaOCl 5 min, trimming and cutting into strips 1-1.5 cm wide with a sharp stainless-steel knife.
The pieces were rinsed in 100 ppm NaOCl, and some were treated with hot water (50°C for 5 or 10 min), or dipped in 5 or 10% ethanol solutions.
The strips were stored in unsealed bags (no atmosphere modification) at 0, 2.5 or 5°C for 16 to 18 d.
Pieces were evaluated for visual quality, decay, and cut-edge browning, with 3 replicates of 10 strips.
L*a*b* color values were measured on the cut edges.
Storing fresh-cut nopalitos at 0°C retarded discoloration and increased shelf-life to 18 d compared to 12 and 5 d at 2.5 and 5°C, respectively.
Decay was insignificant.
A 5 min hot water dip increased shelf-life of strips to 14 d at 5°C compared to 9 d for untreated or ethanol dipped pieces.
The treatments did not affect respiration rates of the nopalitos.
Although intact nopalitos are chilling sensitive, good sanitation and storage near 0°C maintained the quality of the fresh-cut product without any appearance of chilling symptoms.
Nopalitos are trimmed and diced as a fresh-cut product with a short shelf-life in markets in Mexico.
This study focused on the benefits of low storage temperatures and some post-cutting treatments to maintain quality of the fresh-cut product.
Nopalitos (20 cm long) were obtained from Milpa Alta CDMX, cooled, and processed at 7.5°C by rinsing in 200 ppm NaOCl 5 min, trimming and cutting into strips 1-1.5 cm wide with a sharp stainless-steel knife.
The pieces were rinsed in 100 ppm NaOCl, and some were treated with hot water (50°C for 5 or 10 min), or dipped in 5 or 10% ethanol solutions.
The strips were stored in unsealed bags (no atmosphere modification) at 0, 2.5 or 5°C for 16 to 18 d.
Pieces were evaluated for visual quality, decay, and cut-edge browning, with 3 replicates of 10 strips.
L*a*b* color values were measured on the cut edges.
Storing fresh-cut nopalitos at 0°C retarded discoloration and increased shelf-life to 18 d compared to 12 and 5 d at 2.5 and 5°C, respectively.
Decay was insignificant.
A 5 min hot water dip increased shelf-life of strips to 14 d at 5°C compared to 9 d for untreated or ethanol dipped pieces.
The treatments did not affect respiration rates of the nopalitos.
Although intact nopalitos are chilling sensitive, good sanitation and storage near 0°C maintained the quality of the fresh-cut product without any appearance of chilling symptoms.
Authors
M.I. Cantwell, A. Trejo-González
Keywords
shelf-life, discoloration, respiration, ethanol, hot water
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